


We're Still a Team

by Dukefan01



Category: The Dukes of Hazzard (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27754765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dukefan01/pseuds/Dukefan01
Summary: After cousin Jeb blew through town, Bo starts to feel inadequate compared to his cousins and questions his position in Luke's life. Luke reminds him that they are a team.
Relationships: Bo Duke & Luke Duke
Kudos: 7





	We're Still a Team

Bo Duke hadn't put too much thought in it at the time. After all between having Jeb show up after being gone for five years and being accused of stealing the sword of General Stonewall Jackson, Bo hadn't much opportunity to think much of anything let alone let his thoughts roam too far. However now that Jeb was on his way back to Placid County and a quiet family dinner was over Bo had far too much time to think.

When Luke first commented that Jeb was his 'favorite boy cousin', Bo had hardly noticed the comment. It was Luke's first time seeing Jeb in years and Jeb had indeed just saved them from getting beat with a stick, probably out of revenge for the right hook Bo landed on one of them the day before. In his opinion they had already gotten back at him for that seconds after the fact, but that was neither here nor there. However looking over all that happened with Jeb around, Bo couldn't help but wonder just how much of a spur of the moment statement that had been.

Honestly it should have been ridiculous, getting upset at the idea of not being the favorite cousin in Luke's mind. They were family after all, they shouldn't pick favorites. Yet somewhere in the back of his mind Bo had thought that had Luke ever actually picked a favorite, it would have been Bo. Bo, Luke, and Daisy had been raised on the farm together as if the three of them had been brothers and sister instead of just cousins. Their parents had died when they were young, Bo being just an infant when it happened, and since they had no siblings of their own, they were all each other had. That wasn't exactly true, Luke had once had a little brother but young Judd had died after only a few days, an event that occurred before Bo's existence in the world. Bo had more than once wondered over the years if Luke's brotherly stance to him had been him trying to be a big brother to the child that never had a chance. Jeb, Vance, and Coy didn't come to live on the farm until later and by that point Bo and Luke had been a package deal. They were always a team, Luke having just said that a few weeks ago and even getting offended when their uncle suggested the race against each other. So how could one little comment have caused him to question his status to Luke so much? 

Bo wasn't like Jeb. Jeb was practically fearless. When Luke asked if Jeb was up for one more trick and warned that it could be dangerous, Jeb had just commented that it wouldn't be any fun otherwise. Meanwhile Bo was worried about what could all go wrong. When Luke had told him they were going to do the Flying Cross, Jeb had just simply agreed only asking where he was going to do it. Bo for his part was questioning Luke's sanity. The more Bo thought about it the more he realized he questioned Luke quite a bit. Luke would give Bo an order and Bo would hesitate or outright comment against it. Luke had been a sergeant in the marines and was used to people obeying his orders without any of the backtalk. Bo seemed to be the only one who couldn't get with the program. It wasn't like Bo ever had a reason to doubt Luke's orders either. Luke had never led him wrong and most people in town said that Luke was usually the smart one anyway. There was really no reason for Bo to hesitate as much as he did.

Yet Bo did. Bo hesitated all the time. It was part of why he was so terrible at lying. Bo liked to think it was a good trait, to be honest and not to make up stories but there were times he wished he was good at thinking on his feet like that. Jeb was. Jeb was actually amazing at it. Bo had seen it twice in one day with both Cletus and Boss. Jeb had slipped into a role so effortlessly, knowing exactly what to say and when to crush any doubts to his story. When he was pretending to be the Marshall and Mason's son he was so smooth and flawless, actually telling them exactly what they were expecting to hear from the person he was playing. Had Bo not known the truth being Jeb's cousin and all, Bo might have fallen for the lie too. But being quick of mind wasn't the only thing Jeb had that was quick.

Jeb was just quick in general. Be it on a motorcycle or just in person himself he moved fast. It was probably a Duke trait, but within the hour of being arrested Jeb was there to break them out. He was very skilled on that motorcycle too and while Jeb was off being cool, jumping the motorcycle and organizing jail breaks Bo was busy falling down steep hills onto his ass in front of the crook of the week they were trying to arrest. That was still embarrassing, pulling off that awesome Flying Cross with Jeb only to fall down the ravine and land on his back in front of a flipped over car to which Luke had to divert his attention from the bad guys just to make sure he didn't break anything.

All the Duke kids had something to set them apart. Luke was smart, pretty much everyone in Hazzard knew that. Jeb was quick. Vance was brave, even daring to go out to see on the ships to help support the supplies to the Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen like Luke. And Coy was passionate. But Bo? Most people just referred to him as the 'pretty one', which meant nothing in a family full of good looking people. It didn't bring anything to the table either.

Bo would like to claim he was the best driver in the family, but he doubted that claim could be held. Jesse was a former ridge runner and could defiantly out drive Bo on even a bad day. Daisy and Coy were both skilled drivers and even Coy had started testing racing engines. All the Dukes liked racing but as they recently learned it was best to just assume Bo and Luke were on the same level. When Bo took into account that it was him who wanted to be a professional race car driver and that Luke had wanted to be a crew chief and build the winning engines, it made him feel a little inadequate.

Even more bothersome to Bo was that Luke had specified 'favorite boy cousin' when referring to Jeb. That meant even Jeb wasn't his favorite. Daisy was the favorite, which honestly made sense. Daisy was just amazing all around. She was a skilled mechanic, an excellent race car driver, an excellent cook, could hold her own in a fight, and Bo really would never want to be on the other side of her if she had a gun or bow in her hand. Not that she would hit him with one of those things, that was what the frying pan was for. All the Dukes has a special soft spot for Daisy so it was no question that she was the favorite. That put Bo at number three in the best case and number five at the worst. 

"Alrighty, mind telling me what's going on in that head of yours?" Luke asked. Bo looked up at him in surprise. He hadn't even heard Luke come into the room. He looked around, half expecting to see Jesse and Daisy standing there trying to find out what was going on too. 

"Nothing." Bo said, knowing just as he said it that it all came out wrong. Too fast, an octave too high to be true. Again, lying was not his skill and it was even harder to do with someone like his cousin who knew him better than he knew himself most days. Luke gave him a stern look.

"Bo." and Bo felt like Luke wasn't looking at his twenty three year old cousin, but a ten year old child who was hiding something he did wrong.

"There's nothing." Bo said. There was a reason Bo didn't like to do deep thinking. He didn't like it when his thoughts roamed and he overthought things. After all how could he even begin to explain this to Luke. Bo didn't even know if he could fully identify the problem. Was it really that he might not be Luke's favorite? Or was it that he truly didn't measure up to the accomplishments of his family? After all he was the only one who has yet to do something meaningful. It was stupid, it made no sense and even if he could figure out how to explain it Luke wouldn't understand. Luke would just say Bo is being ridiculous and laugh it off.

"You know you can talk to me right?" Luke said. His expression was no longer amused but serious, like he knew something was seriously bothering Bo.

"I know." Bo said. This time it wasn't a lie. Luke's expression didn't change though.

"Then tell me." Luke said.

"I can't explain it." Bo said and Luke actually gave him a small smile. Bo realized he admitted there was something on his mind and scowled at Luke.

"Try." Luke prompted. Where would he even start if he was willing to try? Ask Luke who his favorite cousin was? Ask Luke what was good about him compared to the others? This was all so stupid.

"It's just that, when Jeb came around…" and Bo really didn't know where to go from there or what to say. However for better or worse Luke could read him like a book and usually had an idea of what was going on with him. Sometimes he wondered if it was because he was so open with his family.

"Bo, we're still a team." Luke said. And with that one sentence, none of the rest really mattered. It was still 'Bo and Luke'. No matter which other Dukes were around and even when Vance, Coy, and Jeb lived in Hazzard it was always 'Bo and Luke.' Bo didn't really need to be something amazing on his own because he always had Luke. It struck Bo then that Luke may not even put Bo in the category of cousin to compare him to the others. After all, they were brothers, best friends, teammates, partners in crime, and a long list of others. Bo didn't need to be Luke's favorite cousin because he and Luke were exactly that. A package deal.

"Yeah, yeah we are." Bo said. Luke evaluated Bo for another moment before he got up and went over to the fridge. He pulled out a pitcher of milk and glanced to Bo, showing him the picture. Bo looked at him for a moment before springing into action, getting two glasses from the cupboard and grabbing the cookie jar from the counter. He brought them to the table and Luke only smirked as he poured the drinks and Bo got out the cookies. Luke handed Bo his and rose his own glass. Bo clinked his off of Luke's and they both started to snack on the cookies.

Even in something as simple as getting a snack they were a team.

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching 'Along Came a Duke' and when I heard that sentence I wondered just what Bo could have thought about it. Honestly Bo and Luke's brother relationship was probably one of my favorite 'brother' (yes I know they are cousins but they were raised together) relationships in television....well besides Dean and Sam Winchester.


End file.
